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Thursday morning, the Internet began flooding with reports of a UFO sighting in Union Square. Onlookers gawked at this UFO (unidentified fat object), with its furious brow, bulbous translucent flesh, and teeny-tiny weenie. They took plenty of pictures and shared them online because, why, the sculpture looked a lot like a naked Donald Trump. Because that’s what the UFO sculpture depicts: a naked Donald Trump.

Zaha Hadid, 65, died yesterday from a heart attack. Dezeen has not one, but two slideshows commemorating her work. [Dezeen]

Jersey City’s Art House Productions, a 501c3 nonprofit exhibition space and theater, had a pipe burst in their building last month. It caused extensive damage, so they’re fundraising to recover. Today at 7 pm, there’s a wine tasting with music and snacks. Tickets are $50, but they’re tax deductible. [Art House Productions]

In this interview with a ‘top curator” at Amazon Art, we learn that the platform is trying to legitimize itself in the art world with promotions like prints from street artists. Uh, good luck with that strategy. Her job description also sounds suspiciously nothing like “curator” and everything like marketing/sales. [The Huffington Post]

It’s April Fool’s day, which means stay off the web. Last night, Gmail introduced a “mic drop” button that allows users to “mic drop” out of a thread, complete with a minion GIF. And a bunch of people lost their jobs using that function. The joke reinforces the idea that the company is rife with frat dude employees with computer science degrees. Google’s since apologized and pulled the joke. [Metafilter]

New York has announced its budget deal which turns out not to be the total disaster for New York City that Governor Andrew Cuomo had threatened earlier this year. CUNY had its funding restored, New York City was not asked to pay for CUNY, or hundreds of millions in Medicaid. And minimum wage rates will go up. Not so bad! [The New York Times]

Here’s an article with more than you ever needed to know about the Ibrahim Mahama v.s. Stefan Simchowitz and Jonathan Ellis King case. Mahama is now countersuing the dealers, who had sued the young artist for disowning pieces made by cutting up his installations. Everyone in this case sounds insane. [ART News]

Columbia students are protesting a Henry Moore sculpture they call a “monstrosity”. In an op ed at the Columbia Daily Spectator four students write. “Whatever its artistic merits, placing the sculpture in front of Butler Library will put an eyesore on an otherwise crisp, geometric, and symmetrical landscape. Moore’s ghoulish figure clashes with the neoclassical aesthetic instantly recognizable to generations of Columbians.” And this jewel, pulled out by Jillian Steinhauer. “All of this is not to say that modern sculpture has no place at the University. It just doesn’t belong in the center of campus.” [Hyperallergic]

An old firehouse that once served as Andy Warhol’s $150/month studio is now on the market for close to $10 million. [artnet News]

Two and half years ago, artist George Boorujy tossed a message in a bottle into Wolfe’s Pond Park on Staten Island. Last week, that bottle was found on France’s southwestern coast—ironically enough, by a French artist.

Every single problem with One World Trade Center, from its “over-decorated javelin” to its relatively visible bunker. From the tags: “AN ACT OF TERRORISM IS THE ONLY THING THAT WILL REDEEM THIS BUILDING AND EVEN THEN IT’S A LONG SHOT.” Lordy, those are fighting words! [The Awl]

Do you fear having to move out because of gentrification? The San Francisco Arts Commission is seeking information from artists (and musicians) facing displacement, and all you need to do is fill out a five-minute survey. [SF Weekly]

Who knew people were starving for $5-plus chicken sandwiches? One day after releasing its first-ever chicken-on-a-bun, Shake Shack has run out. The chicken sandwich will return to Shake Shack on July 16. [Grub Street]

Bitcoin: the currency might not be so great, but its blockchain technology, that’s a winner. [Forbes]

Readers who hate audiobooks, you are not alone! But have you ever considered that it’s due to your face-blindess? Regardless, just a nice read on being a writer with eye issues. [The Toast]

Students who choose to study art typically come from rich families. “Kids from lower-income families tend toward ‘useful’ majors, such as computer science, math, and physics. Those whose parents make more money flock to history, English, and performing arts.” [The Atlantic]

The chief architect of North Korea may have been executed last year because dictator Kim Jong Un was unhappy with the initial design of the new new Pyongyang Airport. [Daily Mail via Hyperallergic]

The Grossmalerman! Show is not for everyone, but maybe for you. Vomit within the first five minutes of the show? Check. Haunted Basquiat painting? Check. Lots of talk about the gallery system, and how “having a show” is not the same thing as being given “representation.” The show’s got that, too. [Vimeo]

I don’t envy the writers stuck with task of trudging through hours of art fair bullshit in the hopes of fishing out a fresh new angle. Aside from protest news, so far Art Basel coverage has consisted of “overheard” roundups, slideshows, and Miley Cyrus sightings. After 14 years, what’s there to say about an event that’s basically a luxury department store? I would imagine, dick.

So this Kim Asendorf GIF goes out to this year’s AFC Miami correspondent Paddy Johnson. “Rio Reset” is a picture of Rio, but the caption on 15folds is particularly relevant to fair season:

Every end is a new beginning, commonly with a higher standard, but sometimes it’s just the same again.

To be fair, I’m including another GIF, “Warenhaus“, in which Asendorf has topped New York with a toilet.

How did we miss this? Yesterday marked the first-ever Britney Spears Day, a holiday created by the city of Las Vegas. [Aplus]

Years late to the news, the New York Times declares Ridgewood an up-and-coming neighborhood for hipsters. [The New York Times]

Creative Time will be livestreaming this year’s summit at select locations. FOR FREE. The Vera List Center for Art and Politics will host the NY screening. [Creative Time]

If you’re wrapping up your reading on Prospect.3 this week, don’t forget to check out Julia Halperin’s breakdown of the biennial’s demographics. [The Art Newspaper]

Viewers complain that last week’s Doctor Who episode was too scary. [Telegraph]

Germany’s Wiesbaden Museum wants to purchase a Nazi-looted paintings—rather than returning the work to its owners. As a money-raising strategy, the museum has begun hanging the painting so that it faces the wall. For Wiesbaden, that turnaround stunt might generate publicity; we’re not convinced that greater awareness will necessarily bring in more dough. [Tablet]